So, to help you understand it in a very simple way, holistic health is a wellness approach that covers the whole person—including physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual—to achieve balance and overall well-being. It is quite different from the conventional health approach because it touches every part of a person, from their mind and body down to their spirit.
This article is to help you understand what holistic health means in a very effective way and practical tips you can start practicing to include in your daily life.
What is Holistic Health?
The Meaning Behind Holistic Health
Holistic health is a comprehensive approach that considers the detailed interconnectedness of a person’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It’s a deep way of acknowledging that each aspect profoundly influences the others to build overall wellness, resilience, and quality of life. It’s beyond taking paracetamol for a headache or cramps; it’s more about digging deep into your existence.
Holistic health is basically about looking at the bigger picture when it comes to our well-being. It’s not just about treating illnesses, but about preventing them from even happening in the first place.
This step says that your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health are all connected. And that you need to find balance in all these areas to truly feel well. So, instead of singly treating the symptoms of a problem, holistic health tries to figure out what’s causing the problem in the first place. Therefore, you can fix the root cause, and feel better for good.
It has its roots in ancient traditions such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, which emphasizes its deep connections to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. As a result, these influences have shaped the modern holistic approach. That is, by integrating natural therapies, self-care practices, and lifestyle modifications to increase your quality of life.
The Pillars of Holistic Health
The Core Elements Of A Holistic Approach
Let’s talk about the core elements of holistic health
1 . Physical health: Taking care and nourishing your body through healthy eating, exercise, and sleep to maintain physical well-being.
2 . Mental health: By developing a positive mindset, managing stress, and practicing self-care to support your mental well-being.
3 . Emotional health: This is to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions to achieve emotional balance, and build your resilience.
4 . Spiritual health: It really covers the way of nurturing oneself, others, and the world, through things like meditation, prayer, or spending time in nature.
5 . Environmental health: To help you create a healthy living and working environment. Which is by reducing your exposure to toxins, promoting sustainability, and fostering a sense of community.
To really go deep, you need to touch each component, in order to improve your overall wellness and quality of life. And you don’t have to worry about understanding how to apply them, as it can be difficult to know how to. However, as we said earlier, this article will show you the simplest ways to do them!
Benefits Of Holistic Health
So, why does holistic health matter, why do you even need to start practicing it? I understand that this can be a burning question that you have, which is quite understandable. However, taking a step by engaging with overall wellness, really does matter, and is really good for you.
1 . Increased energy levels and vitality
By addressing the root causes of a sickness, and start making healthy lifestyle choices, holistic health can boost your energy levels, and overall vitality. Therefore, outbreaks of fatigue and sluggishness can be reduced to a large degree. All because you started care of yourself in a deeper sense, rather than just getting some boost from a drink.
2 . Improved mental clarity and focus
When you start to practice some elements like meditation, and mindfulness your mental clarity improves. So does your focus, and concentration, which can lead to a stronger sense of self-awareness and balance.
3 . Better stress management
Holistic health helps teach you how to manage stress effectively, which can lead to a reduction in anxiety, and depression.
4 . Stronger immune system
Regularly practicing healthy lifestyle habits, and addressing underlying health issues, can help boost your immune system.
5 . Increased self-awareness and personal growth
When you start taking the holistic path of life, it encourages you to take an active role in your health and well-being. Therefore, it leads to increased self-awareness and personal growth, which can play a role in increasing self-confidence.
6 . Improved relationships and social interactions
Since it promotes emotional intelligence and empathy, it can help people build stronger and more meaningful relationships with others.
7 . Greater life satisfaction
It can help people (including yourself) connect with their values, and passions, which leads to a great sense of purpose and fulfillment.
For example,
Take a second to imagine the great difference that can be made when your sleep is improved and your nutrition is top-notch. Think about the high amount of positive impact it’ll have on your mental clarity and overall well-being.
Practical Ways to Embrace Holistic Health
- So, how do you begin your holistic health journey? It starts by taking these small steps:
- Reflect on what motivates you to step towards holistic health
- Assess your current state and honestly look at your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.
- Start small by beginning with one or two changes, such as meditation or replacing processed foods.
- Start engaging in regular, and moderate exercise.
- Research and try out practices like energy healing, tai chi, or yoga.
- Spend some quality time outside and introduce nature into your home through plants or natural light.
- Make self-care a priority by making time for yourself, and engaging in activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit.
- Keep yourself around people who support, and encourage your holistic journey to life.
- Don’t rush the process, always remember that it is a journey, and be kind to yourself.
- Journal to align with your personal goals and values.
- Remember that there is power in starting small and integrating small habits into your everyday routine.
Common Misconceptions About Holistic Health
Many people have so much to say regarding holistic practices, it’s either one thing or another. However, they’re all myths, and it’s time to debunk them.
Myth 1: Holistic health is not scientifically proven.
Reality: While some holistic health practices may not be backed by science, many others have been extensively studied, and shown to be effective. Techniques like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness are widely supported for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. According to a study, yoga has been shown to improve symptoms of anxiety and depression, as it functions similarly to other forms of exercise.
Myth 2: It’s expensive or time-consuming
Reality: Though some holistic health practices may require an initial investment, many others are price-friendly or free. Examples are meditation, yoga, and time in nature, they don’t require breaking the bank. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, it is not something that you can’t achieve. Additionally, it doesn’t have to be time-consuming, as small daily habits you can do make a lot of difference. Such as drinking a glass of water, taking a few deep breaths, or taking a short walk can do a lot. What’s more, many holistic practices like yoga and meditation, can be adapted to fit even the busiest schedules, with sessions as short as 5 minutes.
Myth 3: It’s about rejecting conventional medicine
Reality: It is completely not about rejecting conventional medicine, but actually about combining the best of both worlds to achieve better health outcomes. If you get into holistic health, it doesn’t mean you’re on some “who needs medicine” path, but improving your health in the long term.
Myth 4: It’s a quick fix
Reality: It’s a long-term process, not a quick one. It is a long-term approach that requires patience, commitment, and self-care. If a person is looking for some quick solution, holistic health is not for them.
The point here is, that it can be tailored to a person’s preferences and needs because it is not some rigid system. You can make it fit into your lifestyle, what matters is that you want to make it work.
How Holistic Health Works With Modern Medicine
Holistic health and conventional medicine can work together to provide you a comprehensive care. For example, mindfulness practices like meditation and deep breathing can be used alongside therapy to help manage mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Also, nutrition can complement conventional meditation by helping to manage symptoms and improve overall health. The same goes with acupuncture and pain management, acupuncture can be applied alongside modern pain relief techniques to help reduce pain and inflammation.
In addition, certain herbal supplements like St. John’s Wort can be combined with medication to help manage issues like depression. What’s more, massage therapy can be used in addition to conventional rehabilitation techniques to help improve the range of motion, reduce pain, and increase relaxation.
It is best you consult a healthcare professional when exploring holistic practices, so you can make the best choice. Additionally, it is better to be well-informed about solutions to health conditions, so you can get the best results.
It’s essential to incorporate evidence-based practices to ensure your safety and effectiveness. The benefits of evidence-based practice offer promising results. Here’s why:
Using evidence-based practices has been scientifically proven to produce better results, so you can receive the most effective care.
By relying on evidence-based practices, a person can minimize the risk of adverse outcomes or interactions with modern treatments.
As a holistic health professional, incorporating evidence-based practices into holistic approaches helps establish credibility and build trust with clients and healthcare professionals.
Examples of evidence-based holistic practices
1 . Mindfulness-based stress reduction also known as MBSR.
2 . Acupuncture for pain management and addiction.
3 . Yoga therapy for chronic pain and mental health.
4 . Nutrition and dietetics for chronic disease management.
Everyday Application of Holistic Health
So many people are combining several holistic practices such as yoga and healthy eating to manage stress.
For example, this certified fitness trainer on social media shared her experience with red light therapy as a type of holistic approach. She shared how improved her skin and mood improved upon using the red light therapy.
If you’re wondering how you can incorporate a routine into your day, you can start by practicing gratitude and mindfulness to improve your emotional well-being. In addition, balance your screen time with outdoor activities to boost your mood and physical health. That is, learn to reduce the time spent on your phone or social media, and take time to relax outside and see the world around you.
Starting Small: Tips for Beginners
For those who are new to holistic health, one advice I’ll give you is to focus on one area, like improving your sleep of nutrition. Also, find supportive communities or resources like books, apps, or workshops.
Some online communities and forums you can check out are:
Holistic Health Forum
- Well+Good
- MindBodyGreen
And apps like:
- Yoga Studio
- Calm
- Headspace
Always remember that progress is more important, not how perfect you do it.
